Presidency jail installs jammers to block inmates' mobile phones

To prevent inmates in state’s jails from using mobile phones, the prison department has started installing jammers. On Wednesday, the trial run of the jammer was conducted in Presidency Jail, sources said.

To prevent inmates in state’s jails from using mobile phones, the prison department has started installing jammers. On Wednesday, the trial run of the jammer was conducted in Presidency Jail, sources said.

According to sources in Presidency Jail, six jammers, each having a range capacity of 50 meters, are being installed at the jail.

The number of jammers in Dum Dum central jail would depend on the area of the respective compound.

Talking to HT, correctional administration minister Shankar Chakraborty said the government has taken the decision sometime back and now the implementation has started.

“Initially we will be installing jammers in central jails in the state. Later it would be extend in other jails gradually,” Chakraborty said. Presidency, Alipore, Dum Dum, Midnapore, Behrampore and Jalpaiguri are the six central jails in the state. There are 12 district jails and 29 sub-divisional jails.

Use of mobile phones inside the jail is nothing new. During the months of April, May and June jail authorities had seized around 350 mobile phones of which 100 were recovered from Alipore and Presidency jails alone and around 150 phones were seized from Midnapore and Dum Dum jails.

While Midnapore central jail is predominantly occupied by Maoist prisoners, hardcore criminals are a concern in other facilities.

While some of prisoners use the phones to keep contact with family and relatives, others use it to keep their ‘criminal network’ outside alive.